At 3-4 weeks, above, Patsy was showing some really remarkable feathers and beautiful slate colored legs. I wasn't seeing any signs of a beard or muff feathers, to speak of, at this point. Here she is, below, at 5 weeks (5/27/2015).
At six weeks of age, Patsy has continued her rapid growth. She has calmed down a lot, abandoning her previous nervous, flighty behavior when we wanted to handle her. She is going to be a beautiful hen!
------------
In my research concerning All Things Chicken, I have been reading a lot of posts and perusing photos on the internet, especially in a Facebook group of CA Poultry People. There seems to be some confusion regarding the breeds Araucana, Ameraucana and Easter Eggers. Here's what I found out:
Araucana is a very rare breed. They lay blue eggs. They also have two distinguishing characteristics that differentiate them from the other breeds. They are rumpless (they have no tail and no tail bone) and they have tufts (which are also called earrings) which grow from a protuberance, called a peduncle, around the earlobes or neck. Patsy is definitely not an Araucana.
Ameraucana is another breed that lays blue eggs. Ameraucanas also:
- have 'pea' combs
- are bearded and muffed (they appear to have a beard of feathers)
- do not have ear tufts
- have slate blue legs
- males have red ear lobes
- Colours include: Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, White
They also have curved beaks, large expressive eyes, absent or small wattles, full hackle, a well spread tail carried at an angle and 4 toes. Patsy may be an Ameraucana, as represented by the seller.
An Easter Egger is not a recognized breed, but rather a cross between any other chicken and either and Ameraucana or an Araucana. Breeding with so many different breeds opens them up to all sorts of variations! They usually have muffs and pea combs, but come in nearly every variety and color. Some Easter Eggers even have ear tufts and some are rumpless. They usually are smaller in size, and may lay pink, green or blue eggs. They are normally friendly and calm, and have become quite popular in backyard flocks. Patsy very likely may be an Easter Egger.
------------
It seems that only time will tell what breed Patsy really is. The truth is, I absolutely do not care if she is a true Ameraucana or an Easter Egger -- We will be watching, with great anticipation, for her eggs, just as we watch for eggs from her clutch sisters. Eggs mean HENS!
